February, 2005:
in the pockets of winter

I always have various items in my pockets. I seem to keep in my pockets items that other people would usually have thrown out before they even get to theirs. At the very least, if others were to stuff them in their pockets, they certainly wouldn't stay there for long. With me, however, it's the inevitable process of leaving them there until I become convinced that even if there was no reason for keeping them in the first place, I certainly can't get rid of them now.

Unavoidably, there's turnover in these pockets. At some point too many items accumulate and I phase out some and allow others to stay, making room for new ones to accumulate. The Canadian coin from the summer of 2003 that I've showcased here is still in my pocket, though the stone that was also there seems to have disappeared.

Even though there are relatively few objects in my pockets this winter, it's my guess that during the winter more objects accumulate than during the summer, and this for the simple reason that though I change my shirts and pants regularly, I put the same jacket on day after day. This means that the items that get placed in my jacket pockets have a better chance of staying there.

Somewhat to my surprise, I've noticed that most of the items that are in this winter's pockets are directly related to our remodeling - mostly items that I've found while moving boxes, items that probably should have been thrown away the moment I found them but about which I instead said "hey, I'd like to show that to ..." and then, after pocketing it for only a short while, found that I like the feel of it. Perhaps there's also an element of making myself at home when (as now) I don't really have much of a home. When I place my hand inside my pocket and find there a familiar object, I succeed in establishing a sense of place. I may presently be rootless, but the objects that accompany me at least create the illusion of home.


  To: A Digitized Life - main page